Latest news with #CapitalNormalUniversity
Miami Herald
07-08-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Ancient creature with porcupine-like quills found in amber. It's a new species
Fossils offer the opportunity to look at an era of time permanently frozen in stone. Dinosaurs swallowed by mud or plants pressed into the ground over millions of years create imprints of a world long extinct. Another material, however, allows researchers in the modern day to see a specific moment in time, from an insect stuck in flight to a creature's last breath still captured in a bubble. That material is amber and it's created when gloopy, sticky tree resin hardens over millennia. In Myanmar, amber has been discovered throughout the Kachin State — including one piece with a new species hidden inside. The amber was discovered and sold into trade in 2014, before political conflict surrounded the amber mines, and later moved to a lab at Capital Normal University in Beijing, according to a study published Aug. 4 in the peer-reviewed journal Fossil Record. The piece was trimmed and polished, providing a window to the animal caught inside, according to the study. The new species is a mite and it represents the first species in a new genus, researchers said. The amber dates to the Cretaceous period about 98 million years ago, according to the study. The mite looks like something you might find today, except for one key feature. The critter has 'ultra-long' dorsal setae, or hair-like structures that cover the back of the body, according to the study. 'The dorsal setae of Cretachyzeria macroseta (a new genus and species) are extremely long and dense, resembling the quills of a porcupine,' researchers said. 'This unusual morphological structure likely served specific biological functions.' In modern mites, small hair-like features on the body are used to provide shelter to their larvae, making it easier for them to transport and disperse the larvae, according to the study. The prehistoric mite may have used them for the same purpose, or at least for protection as the specimen trapped in amber is covered with small grains of sand or earth. 'This suggests that the ultra-long setae may provide some protection from impurities, safeguarding the fragile abdomen. This feature would enhance the survival of the mite inhabiting tree or soil environments,' researchers said. The scientists also hypothesized that the mite might have been red in color, which would have made it less likely to be eaten by predatory insects or spiders, according to the study. The long setae could have also made it hard for predators to grab on to the small critter. 'The discovery of a new species in Cretaceous Myanmar amber suggests that this feature was already present 99 million years ago,' researchers said, also suggesting this mite group 'evolved at a slow rate and that its ancestral traits have remained relatively unchanged from those (living) species.' Kachin State is in northern Myanmar, along the border with China. The research team includes Yu Liu, Qing-Hai Fan and Dong Ren.
Epoch Times
03-06-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Doctor Recounts Tiananmen Tragedy and the Medical Aid That Was Blocked by the CCP
It's been over 35 years, but that hasn't stopped 85-year-old Huang Chen-ya from remembering how much Hong Kongers 'deeply loved' China. A former Hong Kong legislator and neurologist, Huang was a leading figure in the city's medical community in 1989. The first thing he did when news broke of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989 was contact major hospitals in Beijing. 'As a doctor, what I was most concerned about was whether I could do anything to help the people who had been killed or injured,' he told a rally marking the 36th anniversary of the Massacre, held in Ashfield, Sydney, on June 1. 'I called every major emergency relief centre, and the frontline doctors who answered were all extremely anxious, saying they had run out of everything …' Huang said. 'All the major emergency hospitals in Beijing—every frontline doctor I spoke to—gave me the same response.' Candles at a candlelight vigil mourning the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in Washington on June 2, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times He was prepping emergency medical aid to be airlifted from Hong Kong to Beijing, but it needed to be agreed upon by hospital leadership. 'When we reached the higher levels, each director immediately changed their tone and said that this matter wasn't as serious as it seemed, that Beijing could handle it on its own, and didn't need any outside help,' he said. 'The Tiananmen Square Massacre is not just a tragedy for the Chinese, not just for ethnic Chinese, not just for Asians—it's a shared shame and trauma for all of humanity,' he said. The Massacre was a watershed moment for both Australia and China. For China and its people, hopes of democracy were instantly extinguished, while for Australia, 42,000 Chinese people were granted permanent residency—including students, doctors, academics, and artists—another addition to the evolving fabric of Australian society. Staying Awake All Night in Sorrow Li Yuanhua, then a lecturer at China's Capital Normal University in Beijing, said he had gone home, admitting he was afraid of walking out. 'I was very sad after I got home,' he said. Li waited at home while gunshots rang through the night like firecrackers on New Year's Eve. He didn't sleep that night, figuring that the students at Tiananmen Square had met with misfortune. 'I took a small stool and sat at the doorstep, shedding tears silently.' Flowers were presented to the Goddess of Democracy statue before a forum marking the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, held at Ashfield Uniting Church in Sydney on June 1, 2025. (Cindy Li/The Epoch Times) Student Finds Out the Truth Overseas Wiki Chan, a student doing his PhD degree, is one of many Chinese students who learn about the full extent of the Chinese Communist Party's dark history once overseas. 'I think we still need to remember history—both the good and the bad should be brought to light for people to understand,' he told The Epoch Times at a photo exhibition at the University of Sydney on May 30, commemorating June 4. It's Chan's first time seeing such a large-scale formal photo exhibition. 'History exists as it is. You can have your own subjective opinions, but hiding the negative parts is wrong—it's extremely evil. Especially when it comes to the suppression of voices calling for human rights and freedom. It actually exposes that regime's own lack of confidence,' he said. A banner was displayed at a Tiananmen Square massacre photo exhibition held in the University of Sydney on May 30, 2025. Cindy Li/The Epoch Times Labor Urged to See CCP's Nature Li, now an Australian citizen, said the late Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke's decision to approve 42,000 permanent residency visas for Chinese students was a good decision in response to the Massacre. 'He understands the destructive nature of this communist regime—its harmfulness, its brutality toward its own people … Out of his conscience, he made a decision from his position that, looking back today, we see as a truly noble and courageous act. 'I think today's Labor government should take a closer look at what the CCP has done throughout history. You really can't just listen to what the CCP says.' Li referred to the CCP's deliberate obstruction when former Prime Minister Scott Morrison first called for an independent investigation into the origin of COVID-19 in 2020. In response to Morrison's call, the CCP imposed trade restrictions and tariffs on Australian exports, including beef, barley, and coal, which were widely interpreted as economic retaliation. The former Labor Australian prime minister Bob Hawke in Brisbane on Aug. 16, 2010. William West/AFP/Getty Images 'The communist party, in reality, does not engage in normal dialogue with you. It only knows how to force you into submission, to bully you, and it wants you to kneel ... There is fundamentally no concept of equality,' Li said. The former professor cited the CCP's denial of Hong Kong's autonomous status, describing the Sino-British Joint Declaration as a ' Signed in 1984 by the UK and the CCP, the Sino-British Joint Declaration outlined the terms for ending British rule over Hong Kong after more than 150 years. It also guaranteed the city's rights and freedoms under the 'one country, two systems' framework. 'I think from Australia's perspective, if you view it from an economic standpoint: as the world's second-largest economy and our biggest trading partner, you will never truly understand it,' Li said. 'We should also examine it from a humanistic perspective, and not view it as a normal government or a normal political party. It is not; it is a devil, disguised as a normal entity.' Related Stories 6/4/2020 6/4/2023
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This deadly prehistoric wasp captured prey with 'Venus flytrap' abs
In Greek mythology, the sea monster Charybdis swallowed and regurgitated large volumes of water, creating whirlpools powerful enough to drag passing ships to their doom. Ninety-nine million years earlier, in the mid-Cretaceous, the wasp Sirenobethylus charybdis deployed a similar deadly trap that earned it a scientific name inspired by the mythological monster. A Venus flytrap-like structure on the wasp's abdomen held captives in place as the wasp deposited its eggs into its victim, forcing it to incubate its offspring. That's the finding of a new paper published in the journal BMC Biology that examined dozens of wasps entrapped in amber. 'This discovery reveals that ancient insects had already developed sophisticated prey capture strategies,' says Wu Qiong, the lead author and a doctoral student from the College of Life Sciences at Capital Normal University, 'It's reshaping our understanding of parasitic wasp evolution.' The amber containing the specimen Sirenobethylus charybdis is no larger than a dime. In 2015, a Chinese fossil collector purchased these fossils from Myanmar's Kachin state and donated them to Capital Normal University of China. To the naked eye, Sirenobethylus charybdis looks like a modern wasp with a wider-than-average abdomen. 'At first, we attributed this to deformation during preservation, especially since such deformation and distortion is common during fossilization,' says Wu. But under closer inspection—through microscope and CT scans—a remarkable structure was revealed. The abdominal tip of the wasp featured three flaps arranged in a configuration similar to a Venus flytrap. On multiple fossils, the lower flap opened at slightly different angles, suggesting it can move and grab onto things. Just like a Venus flytrap, the underside of the lower flap is also lined with long, flexible hairs that sense movement. When an unsuspecting insect triggered these hairs, it may have activated the swift closure of the abdominal flaps, allowing the wasp to secure the host. Scientists don't think the wasp killed its victims right away but instead used it as a living incubator for its offspring. Numerous stiff, hair-like structures on the upper side of the lower flap, along with the relatively pliable middle flap, would gently but firmly secure the host until the wasp finished laying its eggs. Only then would the wasp release its captive. 'The 'Venus flytrap' structure exhibited by the abdomen of Sirenobethylus charybdis is unprecedented in the entire history of Mesozoic insect research,' says Wu, 'nor has anything similar been documented in living insects.' Chenyang Cai, who was not involved in the study, is a paleoentomologist at Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He praised the fossil wasp as a 'unique' discovery. He explained that Sirenobethylus charybdis is 'very different from today's wasps or other insects' and its existence 'highlights the diversity of insects in the mid-Cretaceous period, revealing forms we had never imagined'. Scientists don't know which insects Sirenobethylus charybdis used to host its eggs. Given the small size of its trapping structure, these hosts were possibly tiny, agile insects such as springtails or small flies. By studying similar species living today, the team pieced together other theories about this prehistoric wasp. As a distant relative of Sirenobethylus charybdis, the present-day pincer wasp has also evolved the ability to trap its host—temporarily restraining it, laying eggs, and then releasing it. Female pincer wasps have front legs modified with a pinching apparatus, allowing them to firmly grasp hosts when they lay eggs. These wingless hunters, with large eyes and slender legs, are well adapted for moving swiftly and capturing other insects. In contrast, Sirenobethylus charybdis appears to be more cumbersome. They have smaller eyes and shorter legs, which suggest they were slower than pincer wasps. The grasping structure located at the rear of their body also makes it difficult to capture hosts in motion. Based on these characteristics, researchers think it was a sit-and-wait predator—likely remaining stationary and ambushing hosts that wandered too close. Mid-Cretaceous amber fossils like this one, noted Cai, reveal insects of that age were 'incredibly diverse—perhaps even more specialized in some cases than what we see today.' Such findings, he emphasizes, are 'a crucial reminder that studying only living species will never give us the complete story of evolution.'
National Geographic
15-05-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
This deadly prehistoric wasp captured prey with 'Venus flytrap' abs
In Greek mythology, the sea monster Charybdis swallowed and regurgitated large volumes of water, creating whirlpools powerful enough to drag passing ships to their doom. Ninety-nine million years earlier, in the mid-Cretaceous, the wasp Sirenobethylus charybdis deployed a similar deadly trap that earned it a scientific name inspired by the mythological monster. A Venus flytrap-like structure on the wasp's abdomen held captives in place as the wasp deposited its eggs into its victim, forcing it to incubate its offspring. That's the finding of a new paper published in the journal BMC Biology that examined dozens of wasps entrapped in amber. 'This discovery reveals that ancient insects had already developed sophisticated prey capture strategies,' says Wu Qiong, the lead author and a doctoral student from the College of Life Sciences at Capital Normal University, 'It's reshaping our understanding of parasitic wasp evolution.' The amber containing the specimen Sirenobethylus charybdis is no larger than a dime. In 2015, a Chinese fossil collector purchased these fossils from Myanmar's Kachin state and donated them to Capital Normal University of China. To the naked eye, Sirenobethylus charybdis looks like a modern wasp with a wider-than-average abdomen. 'At first, we attributed this to deformation during preservation, especially since such deformation and distortion is common during fossilization,' says Wu. But under closer inspection—through microscope and CT scans—a remarkable structure was revealed. The abdominal tip of the wasp featured three flaps arranged in a configuration similar to a Venus flytrap. On multiple fossils, the lower flap opened at slightly different angles, suggesting it can move and grab onto things. Just like a Venus flytrap, the underside of the lower flap is also lined with long, flexible hairs that sense movement. A closer examination of the fossil revealed a feature that allowed the wasp to grasp prey, similar to a Venus flytrap. When an unsuspecting insect triggered these hairs, it may have activated the swift closure of the abdominal flaps, allowing the wasp to secure the host. Scientists don't think the wasp killed its victims right away but instead used it as a living incubator for its offspring. Numerous stiff, hair-like structures on the upper side of the lower flap, along with the relatively pliable middle flap, would gently but firmly secure the host until the wasp finished laying its eggs. Only then would the wasp release its captive. 'The 'Venus flytrap' structure exhibited by the abdomen of Sirenobethylus charybdis is unprecedented in the entire history of Mesozoic insect research,' says Wu, 'nor has anything similar been documented in living insects.' Chenyang Cai, who was not involved in the study, is a paleoentomologist at Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He praised the fossil wasp as a 'unique' discovery. He explained that Sirenobethylus charybdis is 'very different from today's wasps or other insects' and its existence 'highlights the diversity of insects in the mid-Cretaceous period, revealing forms we had never imagined'. Scientists don't know which insects Sirenobethylus charybdis used to host its eggs. Given the small size of its trapping structure, these hosts were possibly tiny, agile insects such as springtails or small flies. By studying similar species living today, the team pieced together other theories about this prehistoric wasp. As a distant relative of Sirenobethylus charybdis, the present-day pincer wasp has also evolved the ability to trap its host—temporarily restraining it, laying eggs, and then releasing it. Female pincer wasps have front legs modified with a pinching apparatus, allowing them to firmly grasp hosts when they lay eggs. These wingless hunters, with large eyes and slender legs, are well adapted for moving swiftly and capturing other insects. In contrast, Sirenobethylus charybdis appears to be more cumbersome. They have smaller eyes and shorter legs, which suggest they were slower than pincer wasps. The grasping structure located at the rear of their body also makes it difficult to capture hosts in motion. Based on these characteristics, researchers think it was a sit-and-wait predator—likely remaining stationary and ambushing hosts that wandered too close. Mid-Cretaceous amber fossils like this one, noted Cai, reveal insects of that age were 'incredibly diverse—perhaps even more specialized in some cases than what we see today.' Such findings, he emphasizes, are 'a crucial reminder that studying only living species will never give us the complete story of evolution.'
Borneo Post
14-05-2025
- Borneo Post
Young birders flock to Beijing's Central Axis for glimpse of urban wings
Tourists visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on June 25, 2024. – Xinhua photo BEIJING (May 15): On a crisp morning in the Temple of Heaven, a Unesco World Heritage Site along Beijing's storied Central Axis, a quiet crowd gathers beneath leafy trees. While tourists head toward the main altar, a smaller group veers off, binoculars in hand, eagerly scanning the canopy and undergrowth for a different kind of spectacle: the flutter of wings and the flash of feathers that reveal the city's hidden birdlife thriving amidst ancient architecture. Leading the group is Li Qiang, an experienced birdwatcher with decades of fieldwork. As the group ambled along groves and thickets, Li patiently whispered which birds to watch for. Hoopoes strutting through the weedy undergrowth, woodpeckers tapping into bark for borers, and tits darting between branches in search of seeds, he explained vividly. Birdwatching groups in the Temple of Heaven, or Tiantan Park, date back to 2002, when biologist Gao Wu, a professor at Capital Normal University, mapped the park's first bird census route, a winding transect through broadleaf groves and wildflower meadows designed to document the avian inhabitants. For over two decades, the tradition endures, with 238 bird species recorded in the park by 2023, according to data submitted by the public. The park's appeal to birdlife is largely due to its layered greenery. 'This planting philosophy has evolved from human-centric aesthetics to fostering genuine biodiversity,' Gao said. Shrubs shelter nests, decaying logs provide homes for insects and seed-laden thickets nourish avian visitors, serving as a living tapestry that has earned Tiantan its reputation as Beijing's premier urban birding hotspot. Once considered a retirees' pastime, birdwatching now captivates China's youth. By the end of 2023, China had approximately 340,000 birdwatching enthusiasts, an increase of about 200,000 over five years. Notably, 66.69 per cent of these enthusiasts have participated in organised bird surveys. Social media has further fueled the birdwatching craze. On Xiaohongshu, the Chinese platform known overseas as 'rednote', searches for 'birdwatching gear' have topped 400,000 posts. Enthusiasts also actively share bird photos, sightings and tips across social platforms. For 26-year-old Wang Cui, the appeal transcends social media-worthy snapshots. 'It's about learning species' names, decoding behaviors, and rebuilding our bond with nature,' she said, challenging the stereotype that birdwatching is just for camera-toting retirees. Beijing's remarkable avian diversity often goes unnoticed by outsiders. The capital is home to over 500 bird species – about a third of China's total – thanks to its position along a major migratory corridor and its rich mosaic of ecosystems, from gardens and lakes to wetlands and mountains. Tiantan is not the only park along Beijing's Central Axis rich in birdlife. Spanning 7.8 kilometers, the axis weaves through a variety of habitats, from the woodlands of Tiantan and the wetlands of Shichahai to the reed beds of Olympic Forest Park and the lakes and marshes of Nanhaizi Park at its extended reaches. All offer ideal conditions for birdwatching. In October 2023, Beijing unveiled five official birding routes. Among them, nine sites, including Tiantan and the Olympic Forest Park, were selected for a route highlighting birdwatching in urban parks and parks along the city's Central Axis. 'Birds are the ultimate environmental auditors,' remarked Zhao Xinru. Near the Drum Tower, an ancient landmark on the Central Axis, she has seen large-billed crows, spotted doves, and kestrels. Even more impressively, she documented 307 bird species in the Olympic Forest Park, including grey herons and water rails. According to data submitted by the public, 326 bird species had been recorded in the park by 2023. This rich biodiversity reflects effective policy measures. Beijing's 14th Five-Year Plan places a strong focus on preserving habitats for flagship species like the Beijing Swift, with a goal of establishing 100 conservation zones by 2025. Wetland restoration projects at Miyun Reservoir and the installation of 'insect hotels' across the city further support this ecological vision. While today's birding hotspots offer a vivid glimpse into Beijing's rich ecology, the city's ambitions soar far beyond the present, aiming to make urban biodiversity a lasting cornerstone of its future. By 2035, Beijing plans to create at least 30 birding hubs and 300 watch points, while establishing a comprehensive, diverse, functionally sound and distinctive avian research and public education system. Public participation is also a vital part of this vision. From April 14 to 20, Beijing marked its 43rd annual bird-loving week, a citywide campaign promoting public awareness through bird-themed walks, lectures and live-streaming events. Beijing's birdwatching boom mirrors a broader national shift. In 2023, China rolled out a national biodiversity conservation strategy and action plan, incorporating biodiversity into top-level policy. Central to this transformation are the development of a national park system, strict ecological redlines, and large-scale restoration of wetlands and forests. As more young people take to city parks with binoculars in hand, the birdwatching boom along Beijing's Central Axis reflects not just a growing fascination with nature, but also the steady improvement of the urban environment. More broadly, it signals a rising public embrace of ecological values. 'I hope more people will care about birds, develop a respectful attitude toward birdwatching, and adopt responsible practices,' said Chen Jiaqi, a post-90s birding enthusiast with over a decade of field experience. 'Only then can humans and nature truly coexist in harmony.' – Xinhua Beijing birdwatching China Xinhua
